Thirty Steps
by WingsTailsEtc
Summary: Moments, scenes, what-ifs: a completed 30 chapter challenge for [Rufflout - Ruffnut/Snotlout]. Stories and AUs aren't in chronological order.
1. When We Meet

**When We Meet**

The Mead Hall was quiet except the howling wind outside in the night. The flames of the torches flickered whenever the odd blow licked them.

Snotlout put his empty mug on the table and stretched his neck. His attention was on his sore fingers before he glimpsed at Ruffnut, looking, well, rough. It had been a long day. The face so familiar was bored, but at ease. There was no one at that table to impress or worth putting a mask on for. She was exhausted and she did not bother hiding it.

"Huh…"

Ruffnut's gaze left the chatting ones at the other end of the table. She didn't need her name to be mentioned to assume his "huh" was aimed at her; they were the only ones who did not put their two coins in on the conversation going on. Ruffnut couldn't care less which breed's feces were more beneficial to crops and Snot made it clear that Shit Talk could wait until he was finished with his meal.

"What?"

"Uh, nothing." He shook his head, it was nothing to comment on.

"What is it?"

"Nothing! I just… realized something."

_"__What?"_

The voice was getting impatient so Snot shrugged, trying to look disinterested.

"I was thinking. I've known you my whole life. I can't remember when we met."

Ruff looked at him as if she suspected an earlier blow to his head. He was acting weird and she could only afford an eye roll and a _"__Yeah, wow,"_ when the next thing on her mind was calling it a night and crashing.

Snotlout shrugged again, now regretting talking about the whole thing, and stuffed his face with the last piece of mutton. But the more he thought on it, the stranger it felt; the fact that she had just been a part of his life, no questions asked. It was like noticing the air he breathed in every day. They've known each other since they were born, stuck on an island with nowhere to go. All of them.

Yet it was still weird to truly realize that he _knew_ her. And she _knew_ him.

Ruffnut finally finished her drink and left the table to go to bed and Snotlout purposefully avoided watching her leave. He was getting ready to give an uninformed lecture on why Nightmare crap was the best.


	2. When We Train

**When We Train**

The harsh hyperventilating had started to hurt her throat but she would be damned by Loki's odd sense of humor if she easily gave into Snotface.

"Come ooon! I didn't even hit you that hard!"

"_Well, you'll wish you had."_

That, if she could ignore the ringing in her ears. The bastard might think he was being gentle but he wasn't really aware of his own strength. Either that or he was being an ass on purpose.

Ruffnut rubbed her sore cheekbone and squinted. The sun was right at the top, the day was unusually bright and warm for a Berk spring and they had been hitting each other with wooden sticks for the past hour, because that morning Snotlout had decided that his technique was getting weaker.

_Gronklewash._

She knew what was going on; Spitelout and he had a conversation earlier that day and it seemed like somebody was scolded again for getting too smitten with his flying baby and ignoring his fighting training. Even Tuffnut had heard the brawny guy raise his voice while he whined how his son could ride a flame ball with wings but could not defend himself against a girl with a stick. In her honest opinion, Spitelout could use a couple hours in a hot spring to chill the fuck out, but it was not easy to reason with him. Neither with his son. That's why she was being the _'girl with the stick'_ and Snotlout was taking it out on her butt.

She finally rose to her feet and rubbed her lower back, grimacing. To be fair, Snot's close combat game _was_ getting lazier lately but it was nothing to blow the horn about. Whatever he lacked in technique, he made it up for with his strength. He might not have been the largest guy of their generation but he was sturdy. Ruffnut wasn't sure when did she become better at technique and tricks than him – probably while she was trying to make sure her ass wouldn't get kicked by hunky dudes. She had to have _something_. She couldn't punch a face into a pulp by sheer force of her arm, as much as she hated to admit it.

"Look," she grumbled, giving up the threatening voice. "You're doing _fine_; you don't have to try to knock the braids off my head every single time. When you're attacking me, you're not watching yourself. Stop running at me like I'm cattle on the loose. It's nothing you don't know, you're just losing practice."

"Great."

Ruffnut, baffled, watched Snotlout throw the stick on the grass and turn his back at her. She did not expect a scowl. It was hard to decide if she was annoyed as heck since he was acting like this was her fault, or felt for the guy because his father was a pushy jerk. She opted for rolling her eyes. Familiar was the easiest choice.

"What? You gonna sulk like a toddler?"

"Leave it, we're done. If I'm getting lectured by _you_, there really is no hope. I am messing up. Just great."

That did it. She could feel the anger jumping through her spine towards her temples like pressured steam. Her stick first found its way to the back of his knees and forced him to kneel, then another hit knocked his helmet off of his coal-colored hair. The shock would have been pleasing some other time. Not when he managed to actually offend her.

"By _'you'_? This '_you' _ has been letting you train with her for Thor knows how long, so your father could loosen his grip on your balls, dipshit! If you think I am so below your level, go ask Astrid next time! If you've picked _me_ so you could win easily, your ass is in for a treat because I'm gonna rip you a fresh one!"

With the end of her bat poking at Snot's Adam's apple, the bewildered look in his eyes was almost amusing. _Still_ not enough to calm her nerves.

In the end, Snotlout managed to control his face and change his expression into something less startled but he still was not rising up to his feet. He sat there, kneeling and looking at her as if the sun was in his eyes. After a moment of pause where neither did talk, Snotlout looked away.

"Sorry."

She wanted to stay mad at him, she knew that much. She had it up to the brim with people assuming she was a no good thick head, and hearing it from _him_ of all people hit her hard. They could give each other hell but it would be all good at the end of the day. Not like this. She didn't want to hear the same crap from him.

But the falling of his shoulders made hers relax too. She didn't say it was okay, because it wasn't. Instead, she threw her stick at his arms and walked towards the one he tossed away.

"Get up."

"I want to train with you."

Ruffnut was just picking up the stick when Snotlout finally spared her more than just a word. She looked at him, just as annoyed. "What?"

"I want to train with _you_."

Ruff wasn't sure why they were both suddenly silent but the sun frying the metal bowl on her head was doing nothing for the time she spent thinking. She shrugged it off.

"_Train_ then. I don't have all day."

* * *

**A/N:** This one came out a bit more angsty than I thought. Hopefully still managed to stay in characters. This is what happens when you sit in front of your keyboard and ramble on. Let me know what you think! x


	3. When We Hang Out

**When We Hang Out**

Judging by the hazy look in her eyes, she'd been here for a while, Snotlout could see. The earthy smell of burnt dragon nip was now so familiar; it would be easy to tell even if he didn't see the rolled dry weed in her slender hand.

He sat next to her on the cool grass and rubbed his lower back. Searching for a lost boat in the dead of the night was no fun, but at least they didn't have to come back shrugging and avoiding answers. After reaching the dock, he sneaked away and left helping repairing the boat's damage until next day. Too bad if they finished it before he arrived.

"Where's Tuff?"

Ruffnut shrugged, she was watching a bunch of teens trying to trick Barf and Belch into lighting something on fire, far away under the torches of the village.

"Asleep."

"Already? It's barely midnight."

"I knocked him out."

"I see."

There was neither surprise nor judgement in his voice; instead he lay beside her and grabbed the nip for a long drag himself. Their days were loud, hectic; usually flammable with chances of raids and blood. He didn't want to do _nothing_ all day every day, however he was not against nights like this when nobody was around to interrupt and Ruff and he could just _be_, not do much and just chill.

He asked, his voice a bit rasp from shouting too much to make himself heard in the wind.

"Wanna go first?"

"Okay."

'Nip breaks' were nothing new, but this was. It usually happened when they were alone, it was a sort of mutual agreement that neither of them spoke about. Confessions, one at a time, until one got bored or couldn't think of anything. It usually ended with a quiet pause and a sudden change of subject.

Ruffnut's face looked paler under the half-moon, without any expression, just 'there'. One of her braids was grazing his bicep. He wanted to touch her hair but moving his arms for anything other than lifting the nip felt like too much effort.

"I once accidentally poisoned Gobber with clawberries."

"I was the one who smeared yak shit on Fishleg's window frame."

"_That's_ what that was?"

"Yeah."

"Ew. Anyways… I'm scared of losing Tuff."

"I sometimes have nightmares about losing Thawfest and dealing with dad afterwards."

"Once, I had a sex dream about Dagur."

"Once, I farted so hard, I set Hookfang on fire."

Her bursting into laughter was one of his favorite things. And when Ruffnut was splitting her sides, it was hard not to join her. Her guffaw nearly echoed around them and Snotlout started cackling, trying not to drop the roll. They would never find the thing if it rolled down the hill.


	4. When We Tussle

**When We Tussle**

"Will - you - stay - PUT ALREADY?!"

"_HNG_ –NO!"

Ruffnut let out a frustrated screech as Snotlout once again managed to throw her off his back and crawl away. This was going nowhere and the room was a tip. She didn't bother fixing the knocked over chair this time. Her attention was fixed on Snotlout who looked like a wounded boar refusing to give up. There was no compassion in her eyes now. She grinded her teeth.

"Snotlout!"

"I said no!"

"This is the last time I'll ask nicely!"

"_Nicely_? Have you met _you_?!"

Ruffnut ducked away from an empty dish thrown her way. She would have just let it go and leave him to lose a leg to infection if keeping up with Hiccup was what he wanted so bad, but throwing the towel after this point felt just insulting. She would take this limping bulky baby, whether he liked it or not.

"Do I have to remind that YOU need ME here?"

"I'll do just fine, okay?! Go attend to some weaker ones! No aid is necessary for this… Pure, raw… Magnificent... Awesome vikingness- man here. Go away!"

Snotlout's back was resting against the tipped over table now; despite his surplus of adjectives and big words, he was out of breath even after a short wrestling attempt. It did not go well and the wound was bleeding all over again. He wiped the cold sweat off of his forehead and fought the urge to wince. One had to be blind not to see that he was in pain but Ruffnut was past the point of pity, all he managed to do was work her last nerve. Her large eyes squinted while she got up and dusted herself off. Snotlout could see that her fist was now resting on her small waist and he had known her long enough to notice that the little amount of patience she had was running out.

"Alright you," she said with that newly adopted cold tone that gave Fishlegs the willies. "This ends now. I don't care if you think you need aid or not. _This thing _goes on _that leg_ and it _stays_ there!"

"No! It stings worse than Changewing acid and stinks even worse!" His manly tirade was turning into a child's tantrum and for once, Ruffnut had more important things to do than stay there and pin him down.

She didn't even bother warning him this time. With a loud grunt, she jumped on Snotlout like a worked up Terrible Terror, still carrying the pasty pungent ointment in one hand. A second later, a shrill cry rose from Snotlout's house and Astrid nudged a slightly worried Hiccup, smirking.

"Pay up. Told you she could take him."

* * *

**A/N:** I am totally on board with the Catherine's (**hiilikedragons** on Tumblr) Healer!Ruffnut headcanon. I didn't go into much detail on the ointment and the healing process but when Healer!Ruff shows up in other fanfics, I'll bother doing my research.

I had fun writing this, hope you enjoy reading it. Let me know what you think? x


	5. When I'm Awake

**When I'm Awake**

_No fire weather then._

The sound that filled the room was wet as it got and had been going on since the sunset. Ruffnut turned her eyes to the small window and tried to see outside, without much luck. The torches died earlier in the night and they were still hours away from the sunrise. She doubted it would be seen through the thick storm clouds anyway.

She didn't mind the rain; she was used to it like any other Berkian. Even if it proved to be less than ideal flying conditions, getting soaked to the bone reminded her of the days where she and Tuff got into trouble for running outside during thunderstorm and see if they could spot Thor through the clouds. After nearly getting struck by lightning three times, their mother had found the solution in tying them to their beds so they wouldn't sneak out. Needless to say, it wasn't the best solution.

Now a good decade later, there was nobody to dare tie her anywhere. Yet she was feeling like there were chains around her chest, so heavy that she couldn't lift herself from her bed.

Nightmares.

Not the Monstrous kind. Not the kind she would tell Tuffnut in awe when she woke up. Not the kind she would use to freak out the village kids.

The new ones were the kind that made her want to go to Gothi to make sure it would all be fine.

Getting tense to the point of shutting herself down was not a feeling she was used to and she despised it. And despite the worries that made her skin crawl with invisible fireworms, she wasn't going to sit and simmer in her misery. Morning would arrive to make life simple again but the sun would take a while to show its face and she couldn't take a third night in a row alone with her own thoughts.

With a harsh sigh, she got up and fixed her clothes quietly as she could. She wanted no questions to be asked regarding why she was getting ready for a stroll in the dead of the night, when it was raining like the ocean had turned upside down. Knowing that using the door would wake even her hibernating father up, she climbed out of the window and slid down the roof with ease that came through habit.

It was raining harder than she thought but it was welcome when her bare neck and tight chest were ablaze with anxiety. She brushed the streaks of hair off her face and glimpsed around for a moment before deciding on a destination. The village looked almost abandoned apart from the odd light coming through a window here and there. It didn't comfort her. Not too far, a quiet room and its fast asleep resident were about to welcome a guest they did not sign up for.

Ruffnut's feet found their way to Snotlout's house without trouble; it was the sneaking inside part that was tricky. Anyone else would tell her off and shoo her away but she was not up for Spitelout's stinging words that night. The guy wasn't happy that his son was spending some time with her lately and even though she would never admit it, he would be right to flip out if he found her standing in his house dripping rain water in the middle of the night.

She wouldn't be able to climb to Snot's window without making noise, the wet roof was too slippery. Thankfully, the thunders made enough noise to cover her stump and grunts. A minute later, she was in the room, tiptoeing towards Snotlout's bed where the boy slept like a log, drooling and mumbling. The urge to mess with him was burning inside her stomach like hunger but that was not why she came.

The sight of something familiar calmed her restless pulse or maybe it was the rain that drained her off her worries, but she felt the immediate effect of being _there_ instead of anywhere else. Tuffnut could ask questions. She didn't want questions.

She took off the muddy boots and without a peep, leaned over the bed to squeeze next to him on whatever there was left from the bed. Unless Spitelout was coming over to give his son a goodbye kiss before they set sail, she would be fine and that was a mental image she could survive without.

She was leaning over when Snotlout's mumble faded and his eyes cracked open. Ruffnut barely found the time to jump on him and cover his mouth before he started shrieking.

"WHAT TH-"

"SHHH!"

She would later remember the sheer terror on his face and laugh until she could no longer breathe, but her heart was pounding hard as she glimpsed towards the stairs. No movement yet. Good.

"_Ruff?_"

She loosened her death grip on his face and furrowed her brows. Safe from the rain and breeze outside, the weight of her damp hair was more and more noticeable against her back. It was not the most comfortable feeling.

"Shh! You'll wake your father up!"

Her sharp whisper got lost under a thunder as Snotlout roughly rubbed his face. He really did not care for the small stroke he just had.

"What a- are you crazy, he will be up before dawn! You know they are setting sail soon, right?"

"Calm down, for fuck's sake, I am not _violating _you! Ugh, forget it..."

She turned her back, cursing herself for thinking that this would be a good idea. She was not in the mood to calm Snotlout's pants. Before she could bolt towards the window, a hand grabbed the back of her tunic and pulled her back to the bed.

"Wait, wait! _Wait!_"

"Y-"

"Ruff, get back here, I just don't want to wake dad up."

The low voice and the calm reason of his words convinced her to stop pulling herself away. His face had adopted a new concern, knowing that Ruffnut's dead-of-the -night visits were not for serious matters and did not really take place in their bedrooms.

"What's going on?"

A genuine concern in his voice kept Ruffnut from spatting something snarky. She shrugged and focused on her nails. It was easier to look uninterested like that.

"Nothing. I couldn't sleep."

For a split second, Snotlout was going to suggest going out or to Mead Hall but remembering what she was doing when he woke up, he changed his mind.

"Come here."

If it were up to her, she would never ask if she could stay a while, he was damn sure. But the request was not met by protest; instead she rolled her eyes as if she was out of options and lied next to him without further bickering. Between the all the fur and the sheepskin, her skin was cool to touch, still damp and smelled like wind.

With their heads on the same pillow, he could feel the strange sinking feeling in his gut. Her eyes were shut already but from her uneven breaths, he knew she was awake. A flash of lightning filled the room like Flightmare's glow, highlighting the braids messed up from tossing and turning and the tired lines of her face. Ruffnut could feel his stare but she wasn't going to say anything about it.

A violent thunder followed the lightning.

Her head rested on his shoulder, unceremonious.


	6. When We Hold Hands

**When We Hold Hands**

Panting and fabric rustling had filled the dark room. Dim light of torches only just touched Ruffnut's now bare chest; she threw her head back gasping for air, despite the brisk night air. Snotlout raised his face for a moment from where it was buried and looked at the hazy blues, only to feel dizzier than he already was.

She was magnificent. Raw and harsh and intimidating like snowstorms.

Her long fingers traveled his back without direction and made his neck tingle as he pushed himself into her. She was not gentle; he did not want her to be. Her deep moans mixed with her hoarse breath, with her curses that sounded like a dying man's prayers. Her hungry lips lowered to his jaw, traced the prickly stubble, found their way to his ear and ended their journey with wet bites. His grunt grew louder and Snotlout shoved himself inside her harder to draw that unrefined scream he loved so.

He flashed a shit eating grin when Ruff desperately muffled the groan in his shoulder and dug her nails into his arms, she didn't seem to care that her whisper was louder than her moans.

"Wake _him _up and you'll have a hot date with Macey."

"Not my fault."

It was her idea to get into his pants when Tuffnut lay unconscious and intoxicated at the other corner of the room, wasn't it? His snore provided a constant reminder that they were not alone. As Snotlout turned back to his rhythm; Ruff made a note that she liked not being alone, knowing that Snot was not comfortable, that they were risking something.

She smirked and licked her lips; a steamy breath escaped her throat when Snotlout dove in for a future hickey.

"He won't care whose fault it is…"

The pleasure deeply carved in her voice was unmistakable; her whisper traveled along Snotlout's spine like raindrops, making him shiver from head to toe. He could hear her breath accelerating, watch her features lose control. She was wet and soft around him, warm as the mouth that was closing on his lips. The lean legs around his waist started pulling him closer, her back must have been sore from rubbing against the wood; good thing they never bothered with undressing completely.

He stole a kiss from her heaving breasts and murmured. This was getting chatty, not that he minded. "Don't you think we should tell him already?"

"No rush."

Her face was so close; tips of their noses brushed each other's, the dark look in her eyes had cruel humor and lust melted into one. A harsh kiss left both their lips sore and her braids fell back as her body tightened.

_"Faster, faster-"_

For once her voice was soft, so soft that he wanted to rip her from the wall, throw her to the bed and fuck her until she woke the entire village up with the noise she made. The thought him uneasy but he also felt like being a piece of shit.

"I thought you said no rush."

He would have received a punch somewhere delicate if she could move, but he had pinned her to the wall. He had no room for jokes and giggles at that point, he wouldn't even give a damn if Tuffnut was up and had his father with him. She'd left her body weight on his supporting arm entirely, knowing that he would not drop her. His hold was firm, tight, assuring.

With haste, she found his free hand and effortless, their fingers entwined. Rough skin against rough skin. Weapon wielding digits harsh and novice around what was alive.

They shared a look that was neither carnal nor amused; something traveled through that and settled deep inside him to stay as long as his heartbeat..

He did as she asked. Faster, faster it was, until the moist sound between her legs became too much to bear, until she whimpered, contracted and collapsed between his body and the wall, until the building urge at the base of his member spread around and weakened his knees. His mind was erased from all thought for moments as the convulsions took over what was left of him.

When words and images came back to him, they all focused on the young woman, looking sleepy, elevated and limp in his arms. She made no movement to step back on the floor, instead they slid down, weak like melting snow. His heart, already pounding hard, picked up a new pace as he watched her sky blue eyes tinted by the ginger flames flickering around them. Her gaze had softened, making something stretch in chest.

She was magnificent. Majestic. Terrifying, comforting and beautiful.

"We should do this again," she mused. Tuffnut must have been dead, considering they had failed to keep quiet. If so, Snotlout was game.

"Let me catch my breath..."

* * *

**A/N:** Smut alert. Nothing too saucy, yet. I swear I intended the ending to be better but here we are. Changed the rating to M because of reasons.

Thoughts? Too cheesy? Not enough action? Too much action for just the 'holding hands' prompt? Drop me a word. x


	7. When We Cuddle

**When We Cuddle**

Rustling sound of pebbles under a pair of combat boots forced him to crack open his eyes and squint at the shadow towering him.

"Hey, you're awake."

"Yeah, except it hurts."

"You're gonna keep lying there?"

"A bit more… The sky just stopped spinning."

The deserted playground looked eerie at night with empty swings and slides and a damaged seesaw. It had been deemed unsafe for children long ago, ever since the 'big kids' declared the area as their own. One of said big kids was now lying on the ground as a young adult and still no child could step foot in that playground without getting scolded by their parents.

Ruffnut's hands rested on her hips as she shifted her weight from one long leg to another. Snotlout looked positively ridiculous stretched out there, well after midnight, like some rookie fratboy who'd had a bit too much to drink. Knowing that his knock out had nothing to do with booze made it difficult to take the situation seriously.

She shook her head and her long braids waved against her waist. The cigarette in her hand was yet to be lit. Remembering the whole scene was enough to make her snort unapologetically, while Snotlout flashed a very offended glare. Ruffnut didn't even see his face; it had been ages since anyone bothered to fix the lamp posts in the park. The somber feel of the place was only highlighted by the fact that they had no source of lighting, apart from the main road and the weak twinkle of a few big stars among the ones that got lost over strong city lights.

"You'll make fun of that for a year, won't you?"

Ruff's snort had turned into a shameless sniggering already, she shrugged and dug into her tight pocket to find the lighter she mooched from god knows who. She lit the cigarette and slumped down next to him, only to rest her head on his shoulder and continue to make the most of the moment.

"Maybe. I may cut you some slack though."

Snotlout tried not to rub the throbbing spot on his temple. He'd seen his fair share of tackling on the football field but this definitely deserved a spot on the Hall of Fame. He stole the cigarette from her lips and asked.

"How come?"

"I already drew dicks on your face, for one thing."

"Ruff!"

His free hand was trapped under the lanky blonde, so he dropped ash all over his face trying to erase the phallic art he couldn't see. Ruff didn't even try to hide her snickering; instead she took the cigarette back and made herself as comfortable as she could on a prickly surface. Snuggling up to people was not her forte, Snot was definitely the cuddler but at that moment, she didn't mind. After dragging for a good few seconds, she handed it back to Mr. Misery right beside her.

"Kidding. We didn't have any sharpies."

"Assholes…"

Even if Snot's cigarette snatch was harsh, she didn't care because she knew better. He wouldn't have pulled her closer like he did now, if he were really upset. She let him; this was their playground after all and nobody was around. The pebbles poked at her bare legs that her well-loved denim shorts failed to cover, so she threw her feet over Snot's as well. If he was going to do lie there and do nothing, he might as well be her mattress.

A pause followed their harmless bickering and Ruffnut ruined the quiet moment with a slowly building cackle.

"Dude, I still can't believe Tuff kicked you in the head while _swinging_."

* * *

**A/N:** If you're not too big on twins, you must be pretty bored of this challenge by now. I realized I've been downright neglecting the others so I'll try and include more Fishlegs, Astrid and Hiccup. Expect to see them soon. Thanks for reading! x


	8. When We Fly

**When We Fly**

Air up this high had a different kind of bite on her cheeks; nothing like the chilling wind down on the island. Free from the midday sun, she enjoyed the frosty feeling against her skin. Sky was bruised with sunset colors, hueing from light pink to deep oranges, thick scattered clouds looked solid above them. Her hair in three thick braids was waving behind her like ship ropes; she took a deep breath, the soothing sort that rarely touched her lungs, and looked behind. The formidable beast, once a threat, was now a reassurance on her occupied mind.

Flying alone felt out of place even though she knew why it was necessary. And although she had every bit of the urge to skip practice and get to the fun part, she was in no rush to plummet to her death before she absolutely had to. This time had been going swimmingly, she didn't want to spoil it. Letting the breath out of her chest, Ruffnut raised her voice.

"Around the island, _again_?" The bored voice made it clear enough that she just needed the nudge to switch to dives and tricks. Hovering Berk was getting old.

"Yep! That's what Hiccup said!"

Snotlout was looking quite blithesome considering they were up there basically following orders, and she failed to understand why. Usually when one of them suggested going astray, Snotlout would be the first to jump on board. He did not like to be the follower, at least not until Berk welcomed a new chief. Ruff could see why he did not have as much problem with doing as he was told nowadays, but this was hardly 'important' stuff. Tuff hated being left on the ground, just as Ruffnut hated sitting on the edge of the cliff and watch his brother try to convince Astrid to try backflips and sudden falls. They were a team. She avoided thinking about the possibility of losing a part of that team on purpose, even if it was the main purpose of Zippleback flying with only one rider.

Barf and Belch smoothly descended as Ruffnut gestured at the deep cliff bridge ahead, giving Ruff a bit more hope that they might actually make this one the last sluggish flight. _Gustav_ had started riding faster than this. Just because she was on her own, she did not want to be treated like a rookie. After leaving the bridge behind, she yelled at Snotlout who kept following her from a safe distance.

"Aren't you bored?!"

"Why would I be bored?"

"This must be like racing with a toddler; don't you have anything better to do? We're fine! Aren't we, boys?" Barf purred gleefully when Ruff scratched his chin and Belch sparked, approving. Hookfang was barely paying attention, she would bet a week's dinner that the beast would happily throw Snotlout off his back and find a speed more suited to his needs if it was suggested. Just when she was thinking that, Snot caught up with her and grinned as they leveled. He shrugged, he did not look the least bit bothered by the task at hand.

"Nah, if I go back, dad will make me _help_ stuff. And it's a mess in the Mead Hall, apparently there is a sheep crisis or something like that."

Ruffnut smirked, she should have known.

"Besides," continued Snotlout with that familiar dirty look in his eyes. Ruff could swear Hookfang had rolled his eyes but there was no way of proving. "The view here is better. When you focus, you tend to bend forward a lot."

Before she could tell Barf to gas the shit out of his smug face, Snotlout had already fallen back, cackling shamelessly.

She decided it was best to ignore, they had stuff to do after all. She really needed to focus.


	9. When We Kiss

His lips traveled from her knuckles to her wrist, her palm, her arm, back to her face, cheekbones, lips, back to her hand again. Breathing heavily, he couldn't dare open his eyes; her scent was all around him. His fingers couldn't leave the damp strains of pale golden hair, his mind failed him over and over again, refusing to think. His back was starting to hurt from hunching over her but he barely noticed. He was there, she was there, that was all that mattered.

A hand grabbed him, he heard his name being whispered and he kept his eyes closed. He couldn't stop kissing her, holding her tight enough to bruise irreversibly. The grasp on his shoulder tightened, this time shaking him harshly. "Snotlout…"

He was out of breath, his lungs hurt from hyperventilating so hard, the World around him spanned hard. He kept kissing the knuckles, then the wrists, then her face, then the knuckles again. His name, this time, begged. "Snotlout! Please…"

He shook his head, he would not listen. His broad chest was like a stormy sea, rising and falling so rapidly that he was bound to crash hard. He breathed the ocean scent of the woman between his arms and marveled at how perfectly she fit there. Not once he liked holding anything as much as he loved holding her.

"SNOTLOUT!"

"NO!"

The revolt echoed around them, spreading to the open sea and getting lost in the wind. He resisted the desperate hold on his arms. He resisted opening his eyes like he resisted thoughts and sounds. He resisted letting the moment progress. He resisted letting this be. Ruffnut was quiet in his arms, accepting, still warm.

The breathing got harder, his head hurt. Something hot and wet forced his lids to open, something burned the back of his throat, something sharp and jagged moved inside him. If he opened his mouth again, he'd bleed, he knew.

He resisted shaking Ruff as harshly as Hiccup shook him; he resisted calling her name hoping she would answer. He resisted looking at the crimson wetness that covered his fingertips as they brushed her fringes back. He resisted another set of hands pulling him away from his light, his woman, his Ruff. His kissed her delicate knuckles again, hoping that if his lips stayed there long enough, they would give her all the life she took away with her.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey, quiet readers.


	10. We Date

Disclaimer before you start:

Grim belongs to **non-heinous** and Rose belongs to **edge-of-bizarre**. Modern AU, not "First Date" but it's as close as it gets with Rufflout. Major thanks to the ladies for allowing me to use their OCs in this never ending drabble.

* * *

Nobody noticed the pizza getting cold on the coffee table; TV in the background was no more than dull humming now. She let herself be pulled forward and enjoyed the strong hold on her waist, grinning against his kiss. This was not different than anything they've done before, but knowing that it was 'something' was strange.

Ruffnut's hair was down in all its glory, free for Snotlout to run his fingers through it as he pleased; yet his hands took their time, explored the body they already knew well. The long, tight legs, her weight on his lap, her familiar scent of something clean, crisp, oceanic… Tuff said she smelled like a man but Snot couldn't agree; it was the sexiest and most comforting thing that has ever touched his nostrils. There was something wild about it, almost 'windy', but whenever he told Ruff that, she wanted him to explain what 'windy' smelled like and he failed. It didn't matter, the scent was her, and her entirely. It was what filled his brain in that moment.

He was already out of breath from making out, she kissed like a hurricane and left his knees weak every time, so he sounded like he was just back from a 5K when he chuckled.

"I thought you were hungry?"

Ruff bit her bottom lip and looked at his eyes, still grinning. "It can wait."

It was great to know that they both had set their priorities straight. "Good," he mumbled, panting and pulled her close to kiss her neck. The exhale and the long slender fingers massaging the back of his neck was-

"_Who the FUCK is that?!"_

Snot would have worried about the wellbeing of the idiot who was ringing the door, but he was too pissed himself to care. "Are you kidding me?" he spat and threw his head back groaning. Ruff's shoulders had fallen and she was looking at the ceiling with a stare that could easily dig a hole to hell, because they both could now hear_who_ was abusing the doorbell.

He openly started to swear as Ruff threw herself on the couch and got up like a speeding bullet. "I am going to skin him alive…" And Snotlout would be damned if he interfered.

Opening the door like a raging beast had little to no effect on Tuffnut's face. The lanky guy looked absolutely dead, from sallow skin to red eyes. He was sober enough to be surprised that Ruff opened Snotlout's door but clearly drunk enough to forget_why_. Ruffnut honestly never wanted to punch him this hard in years.

"What the fuck do you want?!"

"Where is Snot?"

"Dead, I'm burying him. Go home?"

"No! I can't! I- I need-"

She couldn't learn what he needed because he stopped dead in the middle of the sentence and walked directly to the living room, where Snotlout was sitting on the couch with a pillow pressed to his crotch. He looked far from impressed, clearly it was not what he hoped to hold there that night.

Ruffnut couldn't even talk, her brother's whining had filled the room so quick that all there was left for her to sit on the other side of Tuffnut and grab her half-finished beer.

"I really want to kill you right now," she growled. The glare she and Snotlout exchanged could not be more in sync. Tuff didn't hear her; he just sat there like a kicked puppy, even his dreadlocks were looking sad.

"I'm a dick. I'm the worst. I am actually, literally, the worst. She hates me, right? Yes, yes she does. I've messed this up, I'm a moron. She hates me…"

If his voice wasn't so faint and high, she could have taken him seriously, at least a bit, but that was a lost opportunity. All of a sudden, her bare knees had proved more interesting than anything else. That until he heard Snot replying.

"Dude, what happened?"

"Are you actually trying to _continue_the conversation?"

The impatience in her voice was directed at Snotlout this time, who apparently had both the nerve and the patience to console the dumbass who did God knows what to piss Grim off. Snotlout awkwardly shrugged and Ruffnut huffed grabbing a slice of pizza, hoping to take it out on the rubbery cheese and cold peperoni. Tuff was rocking back and forth, making her want to choke herself.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck! The stuff I said to her… Look, man, hear me out. This is what happened, okay…"

Half an hour later, with her third empty bottle in hand, Ruffnut was about to slip off the couch and crawl under a chair. Tuffnut's non-stop crying and whining must have done it for Snot's boner too, at least they didn't have to worry about hiding Mr Happy from his best friend; yet it was not good news for Ruffnut who had long memorized the details of the design of the bottle in her hand. It was a whole new level of numbness.

"I mean," she heard Tuffnut whimper, "I could have just talked to her! Asked her, right?! Is this over? Is she gonna dump me?"

Snotlout had also lost his glimmer of attention when Tuffnut started repeating the entire fight for the third time, so no answer came from the stout guy who was trying to stay awake. The dead look in his eyes would have cracked Ruffnut up some other time; not when she needed someone to end this Aunt Agony session so she could save their night. _Date night, my ass._

When Tuffnut turned to her, she nearly rolled her eyes out of their sockets.

"Oh. My. _God_."

Her physical reaction could only be explained as some sort of spasm. Shuddering, she put down the bottle, grabbed her phone and tucked her hair into a huge knot.

"That's it. I am fucking out of here."

"Babe?!"

"Don't _babe_ me. Babysit this moron so he won't drown himself in a shot glass, whatever. And you, shut the fuck up, stop crying and call her tomorrow so you can sort this out. _Jesus…_ I'm out."

"Wha-Where are you going? Don't leave me here!"

"To the girls! At worst I'll watch Magic Mike and let Grim do my eyebrows or something, _anything_ is better than this."

She was mad at Tuffnut for fucking up his relationship _that particular night_, she was mad at Snotlout for not being able to kick that dumbass's dreads out of the house, she was mad at herself for sitting through half an hour of whining, losing the will to live along the way. She was hardly in the mood for a sleepover but alcohol, food and man-bashing was guaranteed, so what the hell.

Astrid had opened the door, looking like a vision from a frat boy's sleepover themed wet dream. Ruffnut looked at her beautiful fresh face, prettily messy bun, turquoise tank top, teeny tiny shorts and the pint of mint ice cream she held in her hand. Still, as a person who had the life sucked out of her, she was feeling none of the fun time vibes. The look on Astrid's face was a question mark in flesh.

"What the-? Weren't you together with Snot tonight?"

"_Do not_ get me started."

She snapped at Astrid as if everything was her fault and dragged her flip-flopped feet inside, in desperate need of hard liquor and some ranting. Following the smell was easy and she was glad that it was what she hoped for: _cupcakes._ Plenty of them. She needed to stuff her face like a pig.

Rose's eyebrows skyrocketed when Ruff walked into the kitchen fuming like a boiling kettle. Maybe she shouldn't have interrogated her just after she barked at Astrid, but she did it anyway.

"What happened?"

Ruff deadpanned at Rose who was mixing the thick frosting.

"Tuffnut happened. That fuckface showed up drunk at Snot's, miserable as hell and started whining and crying about _you_," she gestured at Grimhilda, who looked far from enthusiastic, "-and well, man down. I took off and Snot is babysitting his sorry ass."

"Ouch… Sorry about your night."

"Thanks."

She groaned at Rose, upset. Four beers on empty stomach was starting to go to her head. After jumping next to Grim on the counter, she rolled her eyes. "He told the story like, _six times_ in thirty minutes_,_ he'll probably lick your bathroom floor tomorrow to make you forgive him, FYI. He is an asshole, but a really sorry asshole."

She really didn't care for fixing others' relationships but his brother could be piece of shit, as she's experienced her whole life. She liked Grim a lot, she was probably the best thing that happened to Tuffnut (she couldn't say vice versa) and Ruff just hoped stuff like these forced some sense into his squirrel brain instead of making it worse. She wrapped one skinny arm limply around Grim's shoulder before continuing. "But it wouldn't hurt to really bust his balls and make him jump from second floor or something, just in case."

She was sure she was sitting on some crumbs which poked at her bare legs under her ripped shorts; she moved her butt to get comfortable but the night was proving to be too frustrating to ever let that happen. Reaching into her back pocket, Ruff found the crumpled package and as soon as she put a cigarette her mouth, another hand snatched it away.

"No!"

"Hey!"

Astrid's frown was too familiar, she had her 'mommy' on and Ruff could only manage to grunt loud enough to startle Grim's cat.

"No, I mean it! It smells like cake and vanilla, I don't want to breathe this crap."

"Ugh, health freak… I just got cockblocked on my first date, is this the way to treat me?"

"At least your boyfriend didn't call you a bunch of names that'll keep you up at night." The voice was broken and upset, just like how Grim's face looked. For the first time, Ruffnut's face softened a little. "Don't listen to him, come on… Tell you what; later I'll roll you a joint and then we'll eat our weight in frosting. You won't remember a thing by morning, you'll see." She was dead serious about her ways of support, even though the other two looked sceptical. Ruff didn't mind, she was still thinking about the sex she could be having, that bastard was going to pay her back.

She jumped back down without grace and started looking around restlessly. It wasn't long before a pitcher of bright pink cocktail smelled strongly of vodka and something sweet was handed to her by none other than Rose. She must have sensed that Ruffnut meant business and was ready to mess the kitchen up to find alcohol. Ruff, looking like she just got proposed, bent her knees to wrap her arms around Rose's soft figure and took her frustration out on the poor girl, nearly squeezing her to death.

"Ruff-breathe-HELP-nO-"

"I love you THE MOST."

"Are you drunk?"

"Not enough."

Nobody was surprised when she just dunked straw in the entire pitcher rather than bothering with a glass. If she couldn't get laid, she was going to make sure she got shitfaced.


	11. When We Switch

"You know he hates you, right?"

Snotlout raised a brow and looked at Hiccup, unimpressed. The stout curvy young woman showed no sign of offence; she was watching the lanky blonde man with impossible hair to pay for the prank he pulled on Gobber. Sharpening the entire weapon collection of the blacksmith (and dentist) was no watching sunset. _Oh, she would watch all the sunsets of Midgard with him._

"He'll come around," she mused with her strong hands on her waist. The new lady chief opted for rolling her eyes. She had zero interest in meddling in their awkward, slightly creepy and clearly very one sided love-game. It had been an enriching journey to watch Snot and Fishlegs suddenly turn to Ruffnut almost immediately after her engagement to Astrath. She didn't want to imagine what it felt like to be Ruffnut. Sheep felt less of a prey around dragons, enough said.

"He's my prince! We're meant to be, he'll see it alright."

"Didn't he try to bury you alive?"

The question came from the tall, classically handsome blonde, once at the receiving end of Snot's possessive attention, thus knowing how scarring it could be. He honestly felt for the crazy guy twin who was now reduced to a last resort of husband-to-be. It was desperate, far from flattering, and Ruff knew what was going on. Snot's objection did not delay.

"Only for a few hours!"

* * *

**A/N:** Genderswap ahoy. I am so tired, I don't know how this turned out. Let me know if you hate it or like it. (Astrath=Astrid, you get the picture. I've genderswapped everyone.)


	12. We Make Out

**Very very late update, I forgot to post this chapter here. Next two chapters will be merged (meeting parents/modern au), stay tuned. *I'm probably talking to myself.***

* * *

Silence took over as they sat across each other, without a thought and without a word. Every muscle in their body concurrently ached, their lids kept falling half way down whenever they tried to keep their eyes wide open. Ruffnut was considering dipping her fingers into the camp fire so the pain would stimulate her enough to stay awake. Everything in her mortal being was reaching towards sleep; comforting, safe, calm, beautiful sleep.

She sighed; even her voice did not bother coming out strongly. Her eyes, moments away from giving up, had focused on Snotlout. The boy who never was enthusiastic about this exploring trip to begin with. The boy who claimed this was pointless. Ruffnut thought him a lazy wuss when he was complaining, but now, in the dead of the night and stuck in a rocky corner of a Thor-forsaken island, she saw his point. Fishlegs and Astrid were missing, Hiccup and Tuffnut were looking for them high and low and at no point of the adventure did they get to blow anything up or do something remotely exciting. Now, many hours into the evening, the moonless sky provided little illumination besides their sad fire. Either they were lucky that the weather was tepid, or her limbs had given up on her senses long ago. Feeling her eyes falling down, her brain was protesting fiercely inside her head, but not until the harsh poke to her ribs could she stop it.

_"Ow!"_  
"Up, you're sleeping."  
"I'mup, what the Hel!"  
"If you sleep, then I'll sleep too. Stay awake."  
_"_Ugh, this is the lamest trip ever…"  
"Well babe, I can make it v- _oh crap, I'm too tired for this_…"

It was the first laughter of the night; Ruffnut snorted at his exhaustion and surrender as Snotlout rolled his eyes and let his attention be distracted by her weak cackle. Talking made staying up a little easier but neither of them felt creative with conversation starters. Soon, the blank stares and silence fell back on them. It was Snotlout who broke the long pause.

"We'll both fall asleep like this; we have to find something to do."

Ruffnut looked unimpressed, she would snuggle up to him if it meant closing her eyes for a moment but she would rather eat hot coal than admit that. Besides, Snotface was probably offering something to keep them _awake_.

"Stories won't help and I can't move a finger."  
"Neither can I."  
"What then?"

His shrug helped little, Ruffnut was rolling her eyes by the time his stare focused on his knees. Unless absolutely insane, nothing they could do would help.

That musing sparked something in her mind and if even the _thought_ could make her stiffen up and blink continuously, it could help the situation. It could. Neither of the pairing wanted to be caught snoring if the others came back. They were up for a reason and helping was out of question when Snotlout's biceps looked like study pillows rather than anything else. The more she thought, the less she wanted to do it, so she stopped thinking.

She pushed her back away from the rock, crawled towards Snotlout, shut her eyes and forced her lips on his. It worked like a charm; her heart was pounding in her ears and nervous tingling was invading her limbs. The alarming thoughts eventually made her pull back harshly; all she knew was that she never wanted to do it again. She opened her eyes and studied his expression cautiously, it was exactly what she hoped for – sheer shock.

"There you go, we're awake," she mumbled, even if the short kiss was over in a couple seconds, the odd shakiness did not abandon her body as quickly as she thought it would. And her body did not jerk back like she planned. Their faces remained close and their gaze traveled each other's features. "Yeah," was the only answer she could take from Snotlout, even if the voice was uncharacteristically frail.

A few seconds passed, they each felt like a pause in time and against all reason, Ruffnut found that her stare kept going back to his lips. The night was pitch black around them, warm and humid air hung between their faces like a veil, exhaustion made all her limbs wake up with protest. Her arms shook under the weight of her own slender body and she reached forward when Snotlout's hand gingerly touched her cheek.

As their tongues met for the first time, she noticed how out of ordinary it was to learn his taste, the texture of his lips, how his breath felt against her skin and how she could picture his face with clarity when her eyes were shut tight.


	13. We Meet The Parents

13&amp;14

The slamming door made everyone in the building jump but Ruffnut did not flinch. Snotlout had been chewing his lips all the way home while Ruff sat next to him in the car, deeply focused on her chipping nail polish. He knew she was not the slightest bit sorry and it drove him up the wall.

"Was that necessary?!" he snapped finally, finding some comfort in the privacy of the apartment. He damn well knew if he had said anything on the way, they would either get into a huge fight in the middle of the road or Ruff would say something that would cause him drive the car into a street lamp. He thought Ruff would play coy and drive him mad but the answer came flat and free from emotion.

"Yes."

"Really? Because you're not the one who's gonna deal with this shit later!"

"Not my problem."

"Oh, I'll make it your problem! You couldn't just shut up and ignore, could you?! You know how he is, just let him ramble and think about breakfast or something, it's not that hard, fuck's sake!"

Ruffnut's eyes were finally adopting something other than mild interest. Snot knew why she was pissed but that didn't change anything. His dad was going to give him hell and it was all because Ruff couldn't hold her tongue. Talking back at his father. In the middle of a restaurant. He was hating every single thing about that night, from the shirt he wore to the stupid foreign beer he drank. The young woman, looking down on him, could claim she didn't care but she did. He wanted to admire how her long wild wavy hair fell down to her waist, how the maroon top she had on made her blue eyes pop, how good her long legs looked under the short skirt… He just failed, his body was reacting to something other than her edgy beauty and it did not feel pleasant.

"You may be fine with hunching your shoulders like a fucking bug and let him walk all over you, but I'm not. I don't give a shit about what he thinks of me, the man has been complaining to God about Tuff and I for years, I don't care. But if he's gonna look at me in the eye and tell me I'm 'not good enough to take seriously', he has another thing coming. Be grateful I didn't kick him in the face."

The fucking witch. She left him torn between admiring her obstinance and wanting to punch a hole in a wall. She was impossible.

"I'm not gonna be grateful for anything! You messed this up!"

"You made me go because of your dad; I didn't even want to do THIS in the first place. I don't car-,"

"If you don't care, why couldn't you just SHUT THE FUCK UP?!"

"Newsflash, jackass, I'll _never _shut up and let some opinionated dude talk shit about me IN FRONT OF ME. I may not be up to his standards but neither are you!"

"WHAT?!"

"He wants 'perfect', doesn't he? Well he's not getting it, so go tell him to take his head out of his ASS bef-"

"ENOUGH!"

Dead silence filled the living room and something heavy and sour fell between them like a heavy blanket. They stared each other like wild animals for a moment before Ruffnut squinted and turned back. Before he could say another word, the door slammed for thesecond time. He heard the neighbor downstairs hitting the ceiling, telling them to shut the hell up.

* * *

**A/N: Even in Modern AU, I always assume they grew up together thus the parents knew others ever since they were children, which makes 'meeting the parents' a bit irrelevant. But first dinner with a parent as girlfriend/boyfriend works. I don't mean to make Spitelout a huge dickhead but also his perfectionism is nothing new; maybe it was a particularly bad day. Maybe I need to think more on the subject, I don't know. Ignore the ramble, let me now what you think is OOC/out of place. I need opinions.**


	14. Our Truth, Our Dare

"Ugh, really? Could you get more boring?"

"Either do it or you lose."

Crisp summer night allowed them to be outside when sun was not and they barely needed the fire for any other reason than some light, which wasn't too vital. After certain 'truth' stories, they could use a few hours not being able to see each other's faces clearly. Ruff glared at Snotlout, which she doubted he saw but his face was oddly sober for the game they found themselves in.

"I have nothing."

"Nothing!? Not one thing?"

The question came from Astrid, who was tipsy already. Her round cheeks were bright red, whether it was because the flames or the mead. It didn't matter. She had a glare saved for her too which Ruff used immediately before pursing her thin lips.

"He asked for three."

"Oh come on now." "Either do it or drink." "You _can_find three good things to say about him."

"Whatever!"

She quickly reached for the bottle and chugged the booze back; burning sweet alcohol in her throat felt better than the words she was requested to say. She avoided looking at Snotlout any longer than a second because something hiding in their shadow was unsettling but Snotlout just shrugged -"Whatever,"- sounding too careless for the indirect insult he just received. Ruffnut quickly asked Astrid the truth about their secret dirty hideaways without listening to the answer too carefully. Rest of the game was not going to be easy on her nerves.

***  
**Couple hours before villagers started to wake up for the day, when it was the most quiet in Berk, a sleepy Snotlout found his way to his house, trying to make no sound.

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest when a hand grasped his shoulder to stop him dead. Keeping his squeal down in his throat, he tried to turn back and see the intruder but all he could catch the glimpse of was a thick blonde braid, longer than anybody else's he knew.

"You don't need my compliments. Your ego is enough for the entire village as is."

He didn't know how to answer, so he didn't. Her words were not spoken to comfort him, they were spoken because she was angry, for some reason. She continued without waiting for a reply.

"You know you're capable, you know you are important. You know you matter to Berk, to us. You don't need me to pat your back." Of all things said and done that night, a silly question like that was the last thing he thought he'd get scolded for, the confusion remained. Ruffnut spat like she had no more time for the young man standing across her:

"I don't like you when you corner me with your sham kindness. I don't like you when you do me favors I don't need. I don't like you when you _force_ me to like you!" A brief pause followed, which Snotlout used to wet his lips. A dragon attack right now would have been _fine_, he cursed at stupid Hiccup for ending the war. And yet, voice of the girl had lost its sharpest edges, despite still being cold.

"I like you when you are brave. I like you when you show you care about Hookfang. I like you when you see me a challenge enough to compete. There, three you asked, three you get. Do with it what you will."

She turned around to leave, irritated and disappointed. Snotlout let her; the pounding in his chest had not faded and he had nothing to add to her words.


	15. Our Gifts

Ruffnut walked along with the chipper young woman as they inspected the juvenile Nadders of last year's Snoggletog. Days were short and the weather was unforgiving but it took nothing out of the holiday spirit of Astrid; Ruff was just trying to distract her from spreading the joy with foul Yaknog.

"Heard Snotlout is planning a big surprise for you this year," Astrid chattered. Above, a small flock of Terrors broke into a fight. Ruffnut was unimpressed both by Astrid's reminder and the chaos going on over their heads.

"Yeah," she answered dryly. "It would have been a bigger surprise if he could stop talking about how great it is. He gets lost a lot, I think he's gonna make something for me…"

"What's your gift then?"

Ruff shrugged as she stepped away from a few spines a small nadder accidentally threw.

"I'm gonna let him."

* * *

**A/N: Mini chapter for "exchanging gifts". I've skipped Day 16, which was Strangled AU/Rapunzel AU because I didn't have a good idea to work with. I'll probably get back to in at some po**int.


	16. When We Exchange Clothes

Words echoed off the walls of the small cave where weak waves of the ocean muffled their voices, lazy and repetitive. A snort could be heard if one eavesdropped, followed by words that could only be spoken to someone within the range of bumping noses.

"You look ridiculous."

"I don't really have options, do I?"

The reply came from the stout man with that familiar smirk spread across his sleepy face. That same look appeared often enough on his features to settle comfortably. Ruffnut grinned and took her helmet back; thin, tapered horns looked too elegant for him yet he would argue that she could pull off the stronger horns just fine. She had to agree, she could pull off anything. Her own attire _and_ his.

"You could stay naked?" she suggested as she eyed the cloth pile, now at a far corner of the deserted cave. He was the one who insisted on wearing something close by to avoid sharp pebbles against his back. It didn't have to be _her_ cape per se, but she wasn't going to object. Attempting to wear her vest had been interesting though and now he was stuck in the vest, one arm barely through the hole and the rest hanging from his shoulder like a terribly limp wing.

Snotlout cracked open one eye and pulled the woman closer to wrap her up in whatever there was left of the fur he was lying on. "I am naked." "You are not naked." "Well, I am not _dressed_." "True." A fit of cackle followed another snort, this time accompanied by Snotlout's snicker. He continued. "And this, we couldn't really do back at home. Not unless I build another floor and keep a padlock on its door." "That's too much effort to avoid children," mumbled the woman, fitting herself between her husband's broad chest and his arm. Snotlout tugged at the garment that loosely covered her body; despite his sluggish voice, his fingers moved around her back and hips vigorously.

"Maybe… Now help my arm out of this bear trap, we only have until sundown and I need my _hands_." Ruffnut fought back a grin and pulled the leather vest off of his bicep. "Better hurry then."

Guess who got caugth up with anime and postponed writing? Shameful, yes. Flufflout though. I want to write more marriage stuff. Babies and everything.

* * *

**A/N:** Hello reader! If you're still there, that is. I've been forgetting/postponing to update the challenge here on even though new chapters were posted on my Tumblr account. Apologies, if you care. I am behind the schedule, terribly so, but I have 12 more chapters to go and I will finish this baby. So far I've combined days 13&amp;14 (meeting the parents &amp; modern au) and skipped day 16 (strangled au) but other than that, going strong. Coming up with ideas is not the tricky part, coming up with something that I haven't read and loved already is. So many great writers on Tumblr and on this website have written great scenes for my favourites and it's hard to present something different, but I try.

Next chapter is "fighting" and guess who's ready for her daily dose of angst?

**As always, do leave reviews if you read, thank you!**


	17. When We Fight

"Give it a rest, YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!"

Yelling had been going on for quite some time and it had been a while since the rest of the group gave up on calming them down and leaving for dinner. Tuffnut's concerned face was aimed mostly at the short pissed off young man rather than his sister, who was fuming like a disturbed Changewing.

Snotlout ignored the door slammed at his face and followed Ruffnut inside her house, hoping that his anger made him look at least a little bit taller. Next to the raging slender woman, his size hardly mattered at all. But he wasn't going to back down.

"IT'S NOT THE POINT, IDIOT!"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR POINT! WHO ARE YOU TO LECTURE ME?"

"Oh right, who am I?! MILDEW could scold you for what you did, what are you, stupid?"

"Don't you dare call me that and stop acting like you're chief, I don't have to listen to you!"

"YOU DON'T EVEN LISTEN TO HICCUP!"

"GIVE IT A REST, I SAID."

Their screams got the best of them and in a moment, they were reduced to panting rivals, looking at each other with eyes heated with something other than passion. Many a times he had seen this look on Ruffnut's face, he knew she wouldn't take a step back. But he was too mad to care. It took everything Ruffnut had to stop her from throwing a cauldron at his thick head but she didn't shy away from spitting a few more insults before continuing. Their voices were all that could be heard around the hill; whoever stepped outside of Mead Hall could figure out that what was being said was not sweet nothings. Ruffnut couldn't care less; her nails were digging lines of crescents in her palms as she walked towards Snotlout like death itself. Her voice, throaty, raspy from anger and roaring for minutes hissed at the face across her.

"Don't. You. Dare. Call me stupid. You are not the one to lecture me, you are not the one to snap at me for whatever I choose to do. You do not OWN me."

Snotlout felt like putting a ladle across her skull to see if anything at all get through it but he settled for growling instead.

"Do you even HEAR what I'm saying, you pig-headed nut job?! YOU COULD HAVE DIED!"

"WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL, WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME!" She threw her arms in the air, exasperated and at the edge of shrieking. Being treated like an adolescent was starting to get old. "We did this all the time! You were there, laughing your ass off at whatever we did like an idiot! Hel, you joined us! Suddenly because you're to take your father's place as the chief's second, suddenly you are _Tight-skivvies Responsibleson_?! Load of shit! Don't try too hard because Astrid has that place covered!"

"It's not about that!"

"What is it about then?!"

"I CAN'T LOSE YOU!"

"What?"

The pointy face was distorted by something other than sheer resentment this time, there was curiosity moving beneath the surface. For the first time since they've started to yell obscenities at each other, she was listening.

"That's right!" shrieked Snotlout, looking all but frustrated and desperate. It was the effort to make her get something that she did not care to learn about and he'd have a new found respect for her parents, when this crisis died down a little. Calling her difficult would be the understatement of the season. "I may not own you, but you're still mine! I can't lose you, okay? Thor in a thunderstorm, what IS IT with you?!" It was hardly the first time they've argued, neither during their friendship nor their more intimate days but Snotlout was finding it incredible how careless she could be, this strongly maybe for the first time. Taking advantage of the small break she took, he kept talking, mostly to himself. "Yeah, I joined you and I laughed at you and your stupid stunts and pranks and blowing things up, because it's funny! But it wasn't the same back then. You were my friend, you were my friend's annoying weird twin sister, you were the insane girl of the class, I didn't care if you accidentally get yourself burnt alive or something?! Well, I cared, but _'we grew up together so I have to care'_ sort of way, not _'if you die I'll probably choke to death right after you' _kind of way! Fuck…"

It was the surprise in his voice that kept Ruffnut from rolling her eyes and making fun of the whole drama; he looked like he was just realizing all this now and it took him off guard. Sitting there looking at the floor with wide open eyes and tense shoulders, he suddenly looked sad to her but at the same time, she didn't know what to say.

Another moment passed with both of them gathering their thoughts. Ruffnut was the first to open her mouth in the dark room which was yet to be lit with a fire because neither of them could think of a source of heat or light during their quarrel.

"Look, if you want me to say that I'll be extra careful and suddenly become the goody two shoes Astrid was, it's not happening."

"Ruff-"

"Shut your hole and listen. You knew who I was when you started chasing me around like a creepy baby dragon, okay? Things are not the same as when we were kids maybe, but I am the same person. Duties, I'll take care of. I'll support Hiccup and help him out when I can. I'll be a part of this village. But what I do for fun probably will never change. You better get used to it because I can't worry about your nerves every time Tuff and I do something weird. I admit today got out of hand a little bit, but my point is the same."

Snotlout raised his head to meet her eyes; Ruff rarely spoke this long which was why the tension in his chest increased slightly. She wasn't doing this to piss him or anyone else off. They weren't children; this was what he signed up for, this was it. He tried to figure out at which point he stopped laughing at their oddities and started worrying but he didn't care to be the person who shook his finger at her and told her to behave. He didn't care for a timid Ruffnut. He just wanted her in one peace, as safe as vikingly possible.

He let out a small sigh. He was tired. "Fine," he grumbled, "Just, don't die."

It was enough to steal a smirk from Ruffnut. "I won't."

* * *

**A/N: Snotlout is a softie and Ruffnut is out of fucks to give. **

**Leave me a comment/review if you've made it this far?**


	18. When Your Hair Is Too Much

"Pfft- pptpt… fpt!"

"Snotlout, I swear to Odin…"

"I am _choking_."

"I didn't force you to octopus-grip me when I'm trying to _sleep_."

"I know! Just- not even a single braid?"

"No. Either move away or pipe down."

Snotlout sighed and tried to breathe through the ocean of blonde his face was in the middle of. It was a miracle she didn't kick him in the groin to get him off her back in the first place; so letting the subject go seemed like the obvious choice. Not that he minded.

Soft, long, wavy strands soon gave up and settled between what little space left between him and Ruffnut while her breathing softened and slowed down. He let his fingers draw idle circles around her waist; a newly adopted comfort habit that he found himself reaching for. Another long winter night grew over the village as they fell asleep; tired, limbs tangled.


	19. Our Mornings

It had been an hour since the shrill cry of the alarm clock had been silenced by a single punch. As the last bits of ringing died on the floor, small room fell back into silence for another solid hour, while owner of the punching hand dozed off, unaffected by the brutal act. That until the loud buzzing of the phone filled her ears like a nest full of wasps and caused her to let out a loud groan as she reached for the phone to yell obscenities.

"_WHAT?"_

"Ruff, it's nine. Get up."

"Go to hell."

"RU-"

The call ended before he could even say her name and he rolled his eyes at the screen, sighing and praying for patience, wondering why this had become his duty when he never ever signed up for it. Tuffnut was snickering next to him, enjoying the fact that he no longer had any responsibility towards when his sister managed to get her ass out of the bed. The short guy squinted as he called the number again, bracing himself. He could almost see Ruffnut waking up once more, ready to devour him but he also knew she would be more pissed if she ended up missing the exam.

As soon as he heard a voice at the other end of the phone, he yelled in panic.

"Get up already!"

"Leave me alone, freak-"

"Ruff, you have an exam in half an hour!"

"Your words mean nothing."

"If you don't get up, I'm telling Tuff what you've done last week."

"…I'm up."

Tension was rising on his shoulders; he nearly threw the phone on the table and reached for his coffee like it was the last life jacket.

"_Every. Morning._ I swear…" Even finishing his sentence felt like too much effort. Tuff was still grinning, this time more curiously.

"Dude, what did she do?"

"You already know."

* * *

**A/N: Little bit of modern AU. Ruffnut is not a morning person. I guess it was non-heionus' headcanon that Snotlout was the early riser and I am totally on board with that.**


	20. I Dance, You Cook

The clatter of dishes coming from the kitchen was enough to force him to open his eyes and immediately realize that he was not in his bed. The surface he was lying on resembled too much of a wooden floor and his neck was sore to the point of hurting when he tried to stand up. He wiped the drool off of his chin and looked around absentmindedly. This was definitely not his house. The room was smaller, the furniture were not their own albeit being familiar and most importantly, he could see Ruffnut's legs from where he sat. An occasion sadly never a part of his own routine back at home.

He looked at the girl squinting for a moment, trying to decide what the heck he was doing on her floor at the bottom of a table. His last memory of previous night included some particularly strong mead and something that smelled funny. And a brief sight of Tuffnut's bare ass. As soon as he remembered that, the cringe got hold of his face but his headache was too strong for him to react to his friend's nether regions. The cool breeze coming from the open window was helping to recollect his thoughts. He needed water more than anything else. And the weird empty feeling of his stomach told him that at some point he must have had lost his dinner, hopefully outside, because he was starving like he hadn't eaten in days. Before he could manage to talk, Ruffnut grumbled.

"Damn it, I lost."

"Lost what?" It was difficult to care when his body was this weak and shaky but he wasn't going to miss the chance when Ruffnut chose to interact with him. Didn't happen as often these days.

"The bet. I owe Tuff a new mace, he was so sure you were alive. I thought you died after the last mug."

"Thanks. Is there water around here?"

Although hers wasn't a sign of affection, she still hadn't grimaced at his face yet, which was good. When he finally got up, he took the mug full of fresh water like a man back from a shipwreck. It took him a moment to realize that Ruff didn't threw the water at his face or tried to give him more mead to make him barf. He fought the urge to sniff the liquid to make it sure it was just water and looked at her. It had been a rough night for every participant, it showed on her face. Dark circles framed her bright blue eyes and her skin looked more sallow. Yet unlike Hiccup who was literally carried back to his house by Astrid so he wouldn't doze off there, Fishlegs who insisted on seeing two Snotlouts, or himself, she looked quite awake. He wondered what were the Thorstons made of; Tuff was nowhere to see and he was clearly lively enough to leave the house looking somewhat human.

"What DID we do last night?" he groaned as he collapsed on a chair, not even questioning if he should keep staying there. Ruff didn't seem bothered as she effortlessly tidied up the empty dishes.

"Plenty. Astrid was going great but she had to babysit that lightweight man of hers. Fish held up good but he freaked out when I said we should go investigate the caves and just left. You and Tuffnut were up almost until dawn, all you did was dance though."

"_What?"_

He could feel heat going up his neck; he would be damned if he blushed there and then. Yet he couldn't hide the terror filling his eyes. "What dance? I don't dance."

"Uh-huh. You didn't sit for an hour. Tuffnut was teaching you weird turns and jumps and you were combining them. Then you two wanted to convince Hiccup to have a dance competition every year, but before you could, you fell asleep. Thank Thor."

The snark and amusement in her voice was not lost on him, he sulked as he furrowed his brows. "Lies. I don't dance."

"Riiight."

It was best to postpone the squabble, Ruffnut served something else to distract him that very moment. His gaze was fixed on the fresh bread and cottage cheese on the table. The dancing baffled him much less, if he were to be honest.

"This- you cooked?"

"I just made bread."

"Yeah but- you never cook."

Ruffnut raised one brow, examining the sad excuse for an awake person in front of her. Snotlout looked disheveled at best, with last night's mead scent still lingering on his skin. She didn't know what to make of his shock, so she choose what was familiar.

"Well, if you prefer someone who _cooks_, Astrid offered bringing lunch. I'll let her know-"

"NO, no. Don't. I beg you."

"Then stop whining."

"I wasn't!"

A bite of the rye bread was enough to spread a pleased surprise across his face as he turned to Ruffnut. Not waiting to swallow, he almost spat out what he chew. "This is GREAT. Wow. You are great." He was too focused on the still warm slice in front of him to realize Ruffnut fought back a smile and turned her back, rolling her eyes. "It's just bread."


	21. Your Birthday

"Have you JUST met her?"

Snotlout looked at Astrid in desperation for the first time since they've stepped foot in Johann's boat half an hour ago. He had been picking everything up and putting them back down, one disapproving glare from her at a time. He threw his arms up and sighed all the air out of his lungs.

"HELP me then!"

"I _am _helping!"

"Standing there tutting is not help! She'll be back before sundown, what am I going to do?!"

_Damn birthdays. Damn all the special days. Damn Snoggletogg too while he was at it. Hope it all got cursed by Lok-_ no, he took it back. What he wanted to damn was his inability to find something worthy of Ruffnut to maybe earn a chance to get into her good graces. If it meant no growling when he tried to be close or no rolling her eyes out of their sockets whenever he uttered a compliment, so be it.

Astrid looked even more 'done' than he was. The slap on her forehead was surely heard from the village up the cliff. "Will you just stop for a moment and _think_? You already know what Ruffnut likes! If you keep picking floral jewelry and same old spear heads over and over again, what do you expect me to do BUT tutting? Honestly…"

She didn't even know why she was trying to help, but the desperation of the young viking ticked something in her, she was just not sure it was annoyance at his irrelevant ways or sympathy for his affection. Snotlout looked slightly offended but he wasn't even going to stop to defend himself. The search was proving to be fruitless and at the end, he was going to end up sticking a knife into a roast chicken and present it as a birthday treat. Fantastic.

"Look, I know what she likes. But nothing here is good enough for her!"

"Hey!"

"Sorry Johann."

Astrid pursed her lips and looked around. There were plenty of excellent goods but considering Snotlout's wish to give Ruffnut something that was probably made in Asgard, it was difficult to find anything close. Just when Snotlout was about to give up and take Tuffnut's old advice of jumping off the ship, her face lit up. It was a long shot and she didn't know if there was enough time, but it was an idea at least.

"How about you give her something handmade? She likes jewelry, just not… This type."

"Sure, great," Snotlout deadpanned, "Excuse me while I create something fascinating out of nowhere while you look around."

"I'm serious."

"I can think of _something_ that I can use my hands for, but first I need her approval for that so it won't work."

"You- Odin's sake… Juts shut up and follow me."

Ruffnut's eyelids lowered and she looked at the silver piece once more before turning back to Snotlout.

"Seriously, just made? You made this?"

"Sure! Uh, except… Not really." He scratched his neck, turning his face away for a moment. "Hiccup made it. For me. I mean, for you. But I asked him to."

She fought back an eye roll and focused on the armlet. It was no complicated work of art but she appreciated the details the more her gaze lingered on the jewelry. Two heads of Zipplebacks almost meeting in the middle; she could see the small scales, the teeth carved on their little heads. Initials made it known to whom it belonged. She could tell even if she didn't see the small _R.T._ tunes on the inside, it was her size. For once, she couldn't find anything to throw back at his face.

"So… You like it?"

Hiccup sure took advantage of having Snotlout in need of his immediate help, while Astrid took a minute to convince him to spare some time for it. It had cost him two weeks of twice his duties and it was going to be difficult to shut his cake hole and not boast at all for a while but it was okay. He saw the corner of her mouth curving upwards ever so slightly, and it made everything in the whole damn Midgard okay.

"It's nice."

* * *

**A/N: Hello! It's been a while since I've updated and it's obvious that this 30 day challenge won't fit in a single month by now. (I feel bad about it.) I've posted the last few chapters on Tumblr but forgot to , so excuse the spam. Hope you're still keeping an eye on here and enjoying the drabbles. Let me know what you think! **


	22. Hiccup Regrets

Fishlegs stared at Ruffnut and Snotlout for a moment before turning his face away with a hint of fascination.

"Wow, they're really going at it, aren't they?"

The target of the question, Hiccup, was too busy trying to open a stubborn bag of chips, so he just glimpsed at the duo in question before sighing.

"Yeah, well… Either this or biting each other to death. I much prefer them humping; less wounds to attend to."

Giving up, he handed the bag to Astrid and looked at the frisky hamsters in the cage, his shoulders all dropped.

"I should have settled for just one."

"Told you."

* * *

**A/N: This makes absolutely no sense out of context, ha. **

**Tiny drabble for "As animals/dragons" day. **


	23. When You Comfort

Irregular breaths filled the small space between them; it was unusual how empty the room felt despite the clutter of bowls, herbs and dirty dishes. The bright orange light of roaring fire made the shadows darker and provided little illumination despite its size. Perhaps it was the state of her mind.

Ruffnut ignored the ache on her back as she leaned over the bed and checked the cool forehead once again. The venom must have been left his body by now and his colour was going back to normal, albeit slowly. She knew better than to panic; Elder's training had been rewarding and her skills had advanced in the past years enough to let her know that the worst was behind them now. Tuffnut would make it. Yet the strain in her chest did not leave her even though she tried to let it out with a harsh and loud sigh, which sounded like wind in the trees in the privacy of the chamber.

For a moment she let her lids fall and cover her stinging eyes; she'd been awake for far too long and she was starting to feel it. Narrow shoulders bore the tension of earlier by sending pulsing cramps through her neck; her fingers were sore from powdering seeds, chopping herbs and crushing various ingredients to produce antidote and medicine for the bites. Her face looked sallow and tired although she did not think of it. How she appeared to others was no concern of hers; not when she had other priorities.

Loud stumping coming from the door distracted her from the tangled train of thoughts and she straightened her back to see the intruder. The cold look in her face was needless; Snotlout walked in without invitation and collapsed into the chair next to hers without greeting.

"How's he doing?"

"Fine. He will wake up soon… I guess."

"He will."

"How do _you_ know?"

She did not mean her words to come out hostile but the past couple days have been far from gentle on her nerves. She had little patience left for anything other than basic communication. Snotlout seemed untroubled by her question; his exhaustion was related to different duties but she knew his mind had been in this room, by her, by his friend. He stretched his neck as he fought a yawn rather unsuccessfully.

"He has Thorston blood. You guys are more predators than prey."

It shouldn't have been comforting; she shouldn't have been relieved ever so slightly, yet she was. She didn't resist the weak smile creeping up on her thin lips.

"You should know."

His approval was only a shrug and even though their eyes did not meet, Ruffnut felt the weight of his thoughts close by. In a sea of repetitive assurances and encouragements; his words were the soothing ones. For the first time in many hours, her breathing felt easier on her chest.

* * *

**A/N****:** **Greetings!** It has been a long break; apologies if you've been waiting for the new chapter sooner. After a raging writer's block, I went on a holiday and my mind appears to be functioning again. (Crossing fingers.) I've missed these idiots. Hope you've enjoyed the new chapter, let me know what you think? It's been a while and I'd like to hear if there is anything to be improved - grammatically or character-wise.

Special thanks to **anhedral** for the reviews, for the conversations and for the criticism. I appreciate every bit of it.

* * *

_******* I've received a message about the stories and the fact that they are a bit vague; so I thought I'd answer it publicly. I know a lot these chapters include little obvious romantic interaction and even less sexual tension/smut. The reason is because writing these little moments comes more naturally to me than a mushy Rufflout. (Granted, Snotlout is capable of it.)_

_I find the base of their mutual admiration lying in these details and therefore enjoy experimenting with them. Even though I have many scenes in my head where Ruffnut is openly affectionate and Snotlout is much more lovey-dovey, forcing those to fit in a given prompt feels awkward. (I have a longer story in mind that revolves around Ruffnut and I'll be writing more freely about their relationship and how it evolved, I guess.)_

_Until then, if there is anything you'd particularly like me to try, I always accept requests/recommendations. See you! __*******_


	24. Night Snacks

"What are you _doing_?"

Hues of the TV screen were the only light in the room where Snotlout sat on the couch, startled by Ruffnut's out of the blue appearance. It was three in the morning and he did not expect to answer anything at that time of the night. He held onto the cold box in his hands, trying to calm the heart that was trying to come out of his chest.

"Shit, Ruff, honestly… Walk quieter, will you? I'm watching TV…"

"I see tha- is that _Hey Arnold_?"

"…Maybe."

The confusion was fair, Snotlout would have to admit that much. But he wasn't going to try too hard to defend life choices when he had been awake for too long to care. He shrugged and asked; Ruffnut looked puzzled at the entrance of the small living room in the boxer shorts and the old t-shirt she stole from him.

"I couldn't sleep, it was on. Why are you up?"

Ruff simply tugged at the messy braid and yawned generously instead of coming up with a reply. Her eyes were half shot but the scene amused her far too much to leave him be and go back to bed. "Thirsty," she mumbled as she walked to the couch and squeezed next to him. "My god, you have ice cream and everything. Give me that…"

He didn't stop her when she snatched the box off of his hands and treated herself to a huge spoonful of Baked Alaska. Snotlout could swear he picked Phish Food. Late night snacking had its downsides; as well as similar looking ice cream boxes. Oh well.

"Why do you keep buying this gooey crap?" he asked, unimpressed by the marshmallows. Ruffnut shrugged while Helga yelled at Arnold. "I like the polar bears."

* * *

**A/N:** Little bit of Modern AU break. And now I want Ben&amp;Jerry's. (I prefer Chunky Monkey.)


	25. When We're On Holiday

Day light fell warm on everybody's cheeks and he watched summer breeze touching her braids gently, while his fingers dug into the pebbles. He could smell the salt of sea, dried moss on the beach, earthy lush scent of the woods behind them. It smelled like summer and long days; it smelled like lazy smiles and late nights.

Snotlout turned away, ignoring the yearning in young woman's eyes for the towering man sitting next to her. It took everything in him not to resent the man over _her_ choice. Suddenly, their little holiday was a chore and the warmth became suffocating; he wished it were winter. Bite of frost was easier to get used to than the disquiet of watching from afar.

* * *

**A/N:** Teeny tiny chapter for "holiday". Snotlout isn't feeling the vibes. I had a more cheerful scene in mind but my own mood took over, to no fault of Snot's own. Sorry pal.


	26. Our Battlefield

Despite the rustling feet and crashing waves into steep cliffs ahead; she feared she might be deaf. After the long continuing roars of men and clashing of metal, nature's voices felt too kind on her ears.

Surrounded by death and victory, she stood on the freshly melted snow, one hand still holding onto her spear for dear life, and viewed the land. Evening gust was howling around the ones who could stand tall; it was a bleak evening to come victorious and she did not feel cheerful. Her slender body hadn't been this tired in a very, very long time. No cheer rose around them but she saw the hard-earned pats on the backs, the nods, the halfhearted hugs. The loss had been too great to properly celebrate; she knew way back home would be a long and grim one. Yet Ruffnut's gaze lingered on faces one by one, looking for one particular pair of eyes, hoping to see them open and still full of life. In the midst of a vague fear, all that was said and done yesterday was now a web of 'what if's and 'if only's wasted. Tuffnut's annoyed voice chimed in the background; Ruffnut kept looking. "What a damn mess…"she mumbled absentmindedly. There was nothing thrilling about the rush of adrenaline now. The buzz that drove her muscles into back flips and jumps and endless runs was gone and she only felt the intense need to lie down for a while.

"Hey."

Her jump was weak but her heart fluttered like colors against the breeze. The moment her eyes caught the glimpse of the source of the voice, she could feel her stiff shoulders giving up, immediately hunching. Snotlout, oblivious to her thoughts, was looking around and scratching his neck.

"This was fucked up."

"Yeah..."

"Everyone is alright. Fish has a small burn but it'll be fine, he is more worried ab—"

The sentence was left incomplete.

Young woman's lips stole the words from his mouth and devoured them with unparalleled hunger as her long slender fingers held onto his face. Like waves, their mouths crashed at each other's with a hurry saved for uncertain times and Snotlout forgot words for as long as the kiss lasted.

"Are you gonna ask what this was about?"

Panting, they stared at each other; one bemused, one unyielding. Words were still ahead of his mind's reach. Instead of giving a good answer or asking more questions; he pulled her back, like he was pulling himself out of maddening sea, and reached for another kiss. Beneath her storming need, there was his haven.

* * *

**A/N:** Almost done with the challenge! I enjoyed writing the ending of this one. Thinking of turning the last chapter into "part 2" of the battlefield scene. As always, do let me know what you think.


	27. Our Battlefield Pt 2

**A/N:** Last chapter! It has been quiet around here; I'm sorry if there's anyone who've been expecting an update sooner. This has taken me so long to complete; what was intended to be a 30 day challenge turned into a 3 month long process. First challenge that I've ever managed to complete. Better late than never.

***NSFW*** ahead; last prompt was 'something sexy' and it comes with a pinch of angst. (I have a feeling I'll come back to this chapter to edit/rewrite at some point.)

I hope you've enjoyed the stories. If you've ever left a review, gave me criticism, favorited and/or followed, thank you! As always, let me know what you think.

* * *

Turned out, not everyone was alright.

Being surrounded by loss and pain had strange effects on one's heart and head; it kept them busy, for starters. Ruffnut had spent hours hunching over one miserable body after another, attending to their wounds, not feeling sorry for anyone, not wasting time with useless sympathy when she could actually help. Her education on the matter was not developed enough for her to take full charge yet but she was given no choice. Victory came, albeit with a price; they knew this all along, they had experienced it before. However it had a different weight on their chests, to be the generation experiencing it first hand, taking the blow to slow it down for others. Their parents' war had not become theirs but they had their own battles to fight.

Occupational hazards. Nobody bothered to complain.

The population of Gothi's house had been increasing dramatically as the old crow attended to the more impressive scars in making around the village, while Ruffnut did her best to ignore the ache in her neck. Her attitude was not improving but she doubted people came expecting kind assistance; her benevolence was saved for the young ones and dragon babies. Cuts and some guts with little glory ended her long day. After sending the last of their patients, all she could spare was a nod when Gothi told her to get some rest after she sorted the place out before she left to take care of a young boy.

An intense craving for reckless adventures with little costs was growing somewhere in the back of her mind but she had to ignore it as she burned the last of ruined rags stained with blood and worse. Fighting the stinging eyes, for a moment she wished she had had a blow to the head so she would have an excuse to sleep for a few days but it was better to be on her legs than down in a bed.

She was considering not bothering going all the way down to her house when steps approached in the quiet of the night, making her groan inaudibly. She wanted to help. _Tomorrow_. But it was not a fresh cut, nor an infected wound. Just a face she happened to kiss the day before.

Snotlout messed his helmet-free hair and looked around as if he was just seeing the place. It was the same cluttered, herb smelling, creaking floored flat they knew; only more stains - she was working on the delicacy of carrying certain liquids. Ruffnut's bloodshot eyes grazed the top of his head without meeting his gaze and focused back on the knives and the whetstone. One more task. And then rest.

Before she could part her chapped lips, he talked.

"Long day?"

"Obviously…"

That was the side effect of impulse actions; they always came with a talk afterwards, whether it be a scolding or questioning.

The sound of whetstone started to fill the room as cloudless night sky hung outside the window. Both of them kept their silence; Ruff couldn't tell why she was suddenly feeling smothered by his presence. Her skin felt heavy and itchy with the weight of unspoken expectations, she wanted to be left alone. Yet it was going to be a decision between utter silence or making the first. When she asked, her voice carried not only fatigue but her tension: "What do you want?"

Insisting on not looking at Snotlout, she kept running the stone over the edge of large knives that cut, chopped, sliced and minced many ingredients for salves and medicine. Metallic sound repeated a couple more times before the answer came. She almost wished she hadn't spoken; now the air was almost pregnant with a long conversation she was not up for and Snotlout was clearly ready to chatter.

"What do you mean- I don't want anything. I came to see you."

"Why?"

"_Why?_"

"Yeah, why? What do you want?"

"Seriously? I wanted to talk!"

The thought of sitting down and talking about feelings and relationships made her feel like she could gag. At the pit of her belly, a hot thick liquid was filling her up with scorn and something more restless, almost fiery. Her sudden anger was pointless and she knew it, but she did nothing to repress it. A furious wind fluttered the worn curtains and Ruffnut slammed the whetstone down, her lips thinning into two sharp lines. Him standing there, all expecting and unassuming, was building a wall that could crumble down any second like day-old bread. She turned to him, with all the weariness of the past few days dripping down her face. She didn't want to talk, she wanted to vent. Let something out, stop doing what she was told and take her claws out. If participating in a conversation was what he wanted, that was what he'd get.

"_One kiss._ One kiss and you are standing here like a needy new born! What do you want?! I was tired and a little emotional, okay? That's it."

"What? The fuck, Ruff, I didn't even say anything!"

"You didn't have to!"

"What's your problem?! I didn't even make you kiss me; you kissed me yourself. I am not here to ask big questions or anything, if that's what's ruffling your feathers."

"Don't talk to me like a child."

"You're the one snapping at me for nothi-"

"Not nothing!"

"WHY ARE YOU SO ANGRY?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Anxiety leaving a sour taste at the back of her throat, her tongue turning into dry leather, her rootless anger being revealed… Everything annoyed her. She didn't want to talk when all the rattling, shivering, screaming, violent ride of her wartime mind was letting her down and forcing her to sit. She held onto her anger because she had things to do and for the meantime, anger kept her going. She could work with it, it was good enough. All of these tender gazes and mellow talks made her uneasy; so she pushed him back as he stepped closer and grinded her teeth, almost spitting out the words.

"Don't!"

"Ruff-"

"_Leave_ or I will cut you."

Her sincerity was clearly lost on him because he grabbed the knife from her hand and slammed it back on the wooden table, unafraid and obstinate like the stupid viking man he was. She pushed him back again but it made very little difference. He was still standing there, demanding answers, waiting for something other than her inexplicable fury.

"Why are you so angry?"

"Because you are a moron."

"Why are you mad at me?"

"Because you're an annoying shit."

"Well, you kissed this annoying shit."

"Go away."

"No."

Too close, they were standing too close. Snotlout could easily smell the day on her and she could feel their fingers touching next to the knives. _He was too close._ Her mind was full of words, full of imaginative insults to hurt his ego, break his dumb spirit and make him step away for good; make him hate her even. Her unjustified rage did not cut him any slacks but before she could make use of any of the speeches brewing in her head, Snotlout pulled her close, locking her lips to his own.

A muffled groan of resistance rose from her throat but she melted into the kiss anyway, allowing him to run his fingers through her thick mane. Wet, needy moans filled the small space between them; behind her closed eyes she could imagine his frown as she listened to his frustrated sigh. A terrible mixture of conflicting emotions was stirring her insides, making her let out a breath of defeat, so desperate for rest and for a clear head. It was Snotlout's mumbling that brought her back to the room.

"Where's she?"

It took a few blinks to get who he meant.

"Watching Rolvson's boy. Fever."

It turned out to be sufficient explanation; Snotlout did not question the possibility of uninvited company any longer. As their kiss got deeper, hungrier with the end of words, he inhaled her scent, his fingers still lingering in her impossible hair. Soon they would be finding their way to her narrow waist to study the movement of the lean muscles while Ruffnut tugged at the collar of his shirt, demanding more of him. Despite her earlier wrath, she now felt like she could turn the build-up of the rotten day into something exhilarating. She lacked the nervous excitement; this wasn't foreign to either of them. Always in the shadows, desolate corners but always in a heat of urgency, almost immediate need would she want him; only to deny it the next day. She couldn't bother with appearances this time, the memory of the relief she felt when she saw him standing alive and well was not far enough for her to act skilfully

A soft, girly sigh tickled Snotlout's ears as Ruffnut's fingers dove under his top and travelled his torso, leaving faint red nail marks behind them. With the fire getting weaker, constellations seemed to be their only source of light soon, which neither of them whined about. He was used to watching her in the cold hues of night, washed in blues and greys. He wanted to _see_ her, not just follow the lines and curves or her body and think. He tore his mouth off of her lips and gently bit the soft pale skin of her long neck, making her pant and reach for more. He couldn't tell when he wiped Gothi's knives off the table and sat Ruff on the weary wood like she weighed nothing. She took no time to wrap her legs around his waist, forcing him to press himself against her, already aching for more. Gentle and tender was seldom her way but after the slender hands took away his tunic and threw it away, their touch was familiar, warm and oh so welcome. Neither of them took the time to fully explore and linger on to make sure one another were truly desperate for more. He pulled her closer and nearly ripped the tunic off, exposing pale breasts, ribs narrowing down to her waist where he could trace her lean muscles, claiming every inch of her body as his own, for as long as their moments lasted. He adored her body; how it moved freely with such elasticity and strength. He loved how it grew hot under his touch, and moist, damp, stiff, limp. He missed her touch and her breath in his neck, how she moaned and whimpered and hissed. He was damned for life for all he cared; she had ruined him for other women and he doubted she even cared.

Uninvited, he moved from her neck to the peaks of her breasts, tasting the sweet and the salt of her skin, sucking out all that burdened her enough to threaten to cut him. Hasty were her hands, having enough what was uncovered and now reaching for his pants, untying fast with a greed he was accustomed to. Still in loss of words and commands, she stole a deep gritty moan from him the moment she grabbed his length, already so ready, so greedy for her. Grasping the base of him, she freed him from his clothes and rubbed him until he had to grab her wrist and stop her. "Keep doing that and I won't last long." His panting interrupted several times but it seemed enough to make Ruffnut smile for the first time, which made his belly simmer, made him more eager to leave her shaking, unable to do anything but to gasp for air under the weight of divine exhaustion. Shaking the smile off her face as soon as his fingers found their way to the slick flesh, dripping with expectation put a smirk on his face, smug enough to annoy her mid-moan. That voice could add years to his life if he were to hear it every Thor-damned day. He knew a couple digits were far from satisfying her from the writhing of her hips, pressing herself lower, deeper. He expected her to play around more, make him ache, bring him to the edge over and over again, only to leave him hanging; but instead, she wetted her lips, grabbed his face and pulled it closer. Her irregular breaths were hidden in her whisper. "Fuck me. Fuck me good."

Maybe it was the need in her voice, maybe it was the fact that they had both spent shitty few days and needed a way out. Maybe it was something more intimate that made him shiver from head to toe, he couldn't tell. But hell would be over him if he denied her demand. He surged his hips forward and filled her, enjoying every drip of her moan and the feeling of utter wholeness. The nails pulling him closer, scratching his waist, her body refusing to lie down and their faces still close, panting, biting, licking and tasting each other as much as they could… All of it surrounded him up like steam from the hot springs as he did what he was told and fucked her hard. Every small scream, every involuntary movement was a triumph that forced him to go deeper, go faster.

Ruffnut didn't bother to pull the loose strands off of her face as she bit her lower lip and closed her eyes without noticing. She didn't want to hold back, she didn't want to be quiet but even in the midst of everything wet, sloppy and messy, what must be kept private was still at the back of her mind. So he drowned her voice in raspy moans and sharp sighs while Snotlout found his way to every right spot over and over again. Oh how _well_ he had learnt her… She wanted him deeper, closer, all around and in every gap; and Snotlout forced his tongue in her mouth, stealing all the air from her lungs and swallowing her moans. Their lips crashed at each other like waves just as naturally and unapologetically. Her mind was a land of "yes" and "more" and she would have told him if her mouth was free to talk. Yet soon, all words let her down, her hands searched something to hold on to while every bit of burden in her chest left its place for what is vibrant, white-hot and for a moment, infinite. She barely noticed Snotlout's deep, tired moan and his shaking knees; she was too caught up in her own relief, how the tension seemed to leave his shoulders and how good it felt to rest her head on his shoulder, slouching forward while wondering how they managed not to break the damn table. Many heartbeats and carelessly worn clothes later, it was Snotlout who found the energy to speak, albeit still out of breath.

"You think anyone heard?"

Now that they were lying on the floor, still trying to find the drive to get up and climb down the tower, she was blissfully limp and almost asleep. She mumbled.

"We'll find out tomorrow…"

Giving up on the stairs and calling it a night was still an option she was considering.


End file.
